The invention relates to a device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm of a windshield wiper.
This type of device is known from WO 02/40328 A1. It is comprised of a connecting piece in the form of a sheet metal claw, an adapter made of plastic and a connecting element that is firmly connected to the wiper arm. The connecting piece is fastened to a support element of the wiper blade in the form of two parallel resilient rails by means of claws and/or by welding. It has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, whereby, starting from a base part adjacent to the support element, lateral walls are bent away from the support element by approx. 90°. Openings are provided in the side walls, into which a bearing pin is inserted in a rotatably secured manner. Pivoted on this with a hub is the adapter, which is guided laterally between the lateral walls of the connecting piece. The adapter has clipping means and retainer means, which are used to clip it in the profile of the connecting element that is open towards the wiper blade. In the mounted position, the connecting element overlaps both the adapter as well as the lateral walls of the connecting piece from the outside. In the case of a relative movement between the wiper arm and the wiper blade during the wiping process, contact can occur between the inner side of the connecting element and the outer side of the connecting piece. Since both these parts are manufactured as a rule of metal, this results in increased friction which can also damage the corrosive protection.
A similar device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm is the subject of older patent application DE 103 47 637.7. In this case, the connecting piece has a middle longitudinal segment in the form of a sheet metal claw, which points away from the support element of the wiper blade, and into which a transverse swivel axis is inserted in a rotationally secured manner. Pivoted on the swivel axis that projects in a cantilevered manner on both sides of the longitudinal segment is the adapter with bearing openings, which are arranged in lateral spring tongues. The adapter, which is manufactured of plastic, encircles the sheet metal claw from the outside and is clipped into the connecting element that is open towards the wiper blade by means of clip elements and retainer elements and the connecting element is firmly connected to the wiper arm. The adapter is guided for one laterally onto the sheet metal claw by inner guide segments and secondly inserted on its lateral walls into the connecting element so it is free of play. As a result, the adapter made of plastic isolates the connecting element from the connecting piece thereby guaranteeing good corrosion resistance and low frictional losses.